Consultation on changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain announced 永久居留申請變動的公眾咨詢
On 9th June 2011, the government launched a public consultation on changes to indefinite leave to remain.
This time, the government seems to be determined to make one of the most controversial changes to current UK immigration rules since the coalition government was formed. The rules in question are relating to a sensitive topic – the path to indefinite leave to remain and UK citizenship for non-EU workers. Under the current rules, non-EU workers, for example, Tier 2(general) workers, can apply for indefinite leave to remain before the end of their work permit in year 5 of having a work permit. After having indefinite leave to remind for one year, applicants can submit their naturalisation applications to acquire British citizenship provided that all relevant requirements are fulfilled.
Following the end of the consultation in September, the government may announce the changes to the immigration rules at any time, which may result in workers not being able to apply for indefinite leave to remain even if they have worked in the UK for five years. Therefore, as a result workers will no longer to be eligible to apply for citizenship either.
It is uncertain how easy workers will be able to receive a visa extension after the end of a work permit in year 5, since the government will issue the work permit with expectation that the worker would leave after 5 years. This is particularly important, if the workers can extend their work permit for another five years, they can apply for indefinitely leave to under the 10 year long residence rules – currently a larger number of foreign students acquire their indefinitely leave to remain through this route.
What does the government propose to change?
The government proposes that workers in the following categories will be unable to apply for indefinite leave to remind before the end of their work permit in year 5:
- Tier 1 (not entrepreneurs or investors)
- Tier 2 (General)
- Tier 5 (Temporary worker)
- Overseas domestic workers
Who may not be affected?
Certain categories of Tier 2 migrant, for example, ministers of religion, elite sportspeople, those earning over £150,000, should retain an automatic route to settlement. Those exceptional Tier 2 migrants may be able to apply for settlement after 3 years in the UK.
These proposed changes will apply retrospectively
Please note it is proposed that these changes will be applied retrospectively to anyone entering as a point based system (PBS) migrant after 6th April 2011.
To find further details and take part in the consultation please click here
The closing date for responses is 9th September 2011.
在2011年6月9日,英國內政部對其提出的非歐盟勞工的英國永久居留申請的變動相關規定,展開正式公眾諮詢。
這一次，英國政府似乎是決心自聯合政府執政以來, 進行一項最具爭議的移民變更。
規則中有關問題是環繞一個敏感的話題-非歐盟勞工在英國的永久居留權以及英國公民身份的申請權利。因為根據現行移民法規定，非歐盟國家的勞工（例如，第2級（一般）勞工），一旦在英國持有合法工作簽證屆滿5年者, 可在第5年時申請永久居留。 而且, 在申請永久居留成功的1年後, 這些勞工只要符合其它公民申請資格, 亦可申請英國公民。
一旦在公眾咨詢於本年9月完成後，政府即有可能隨時公布更改規則，即英國勞工在工作簽證屆滿5年後, 將無法申請永久居留權。也換成，勞工將不再有資格申請公民資格。
至於目前勞工們在5年後是否能申請工作延簽, 尚未明朗, 因為政府表明希望這些勞工在工作滿5年後選擇離開英國。
5年後勞工們是否能成功申請續簽, 尤為關鍵，因為勞工們若能延長他們的工作許可證再另外五年，他們仍可依照10年居住移民規定, 申請永久居留。目前, 有許多外國小留學生就是按照此路線申請永久居留權及英國公民。
政府提出了什麼改變？
目前政府提議以下類別的勞工在工作許可證滿5年後, 將不可被允許申請永久居留: 類別是：
- 第一級 (但不含企業家和投資者)申請者
- 第二級 (一般)勞工
- 第五級 (暫時性勞工)
- 海外聘的家庭傭工
誰可能不會受到影響？
某些類別的第二級移民, 例如宗教部長，精英運動員，年收入超過15萬英鎊者, 還是保留了他們申請永久居留的權利。而且, 這些人可能可於簽證滿3年後,申請定居在英國。
變更將具追溯力
這些變動, 將追溯至於2011年4月6日後成功申請積分制類別(Points-based system)的移民。
查看諮詢
如果您要查看諮詢文件, 可以按這裡 , 公眾諮詢的截止日期為2011年9月9日。